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Kannazuki no Miko
Tokyopop | demographic = Shōnen | magazine = Shōnen Ace | first = October 1, 2004 | last = June 25, 2005 | volumes = 2 | volume_list = }} Sentai Filmworks | network = TNK | network_en = Anime Network | first = October 2, 2004 | last = December 18, 2004 | episodes = 12 }} is a manga series created by the duo Kaishaku. The series was serialized in fourteen chapters by Kadokawa Shoten and in Shōnen Ace in 2004 and 2005, and collected in two bound volumes. The series was adapted as an anime television series broadcast in 12 episodes on TNK between October and December 2004. A drama CD was released on November 25, 2004 by Geneon based on the anime version. In North America, the manga is licensed by Tokyopop and the anime was licensed by Geneon Entertainment, but the license transferred to Sentai Filmworks in 2009. In 2010, the anime started showing on the Anime Network, with the name Destiny of the Shrine Maiden. The series centers on the yuri relationship of the two main characters, Himeko and Chikane, with elements of magical girl and mecha themes helping to carry the plot. An anime series that includes several characters similar to those of Kannazuki no Miko called Shattered Angels aired in Japan between January and March 2007. Plot Kannazuki no Miko is the story of Himeko and Chikane, the reincarnations of the Solar and Lunar Miko, respectively. They are two high school girls going to the prestigious Ototachibana Academy of Mahoroba, Japan. When an ancient evil rises once more, the girls are plunged into destiny as their long-sealed personas awaken to defend the world against the eight Orochi, who are the eight heads of Yamata no Orochi of Japanese folklore. When the Orochi awaken, it is the first day of October (called kannazuki, lit. "the godless month," in the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar), which just happens to be Himeko and Chikane's birthday. The first Orochi who tries to kill the Miko is Sōma Ōgami, the boy in love with Himeko. However, after a blinding flash of light brings him to his senses, he rejects his fate and vows to defend Himeko against the other Orochi. The Miko must awaken Ame no Murakumo in order to combat the threat while Sōma repels the Orochi efforts to kill them. The manga goes into more detail on the relationship between Himeko and Chikane. In the end, Himeko chooses to be incarcerated forever in the shrine with Chikane. At the end, it also shows that a number of years later two twin girls are born and are actually Himeko and Chikane, with the memories and feelings for one another intact. In the anime, Himeko's memory of Chikane is taken away after Chikane sacrifices herself for Himeko and is incarcerated in the shrine. Though Chikane is ultimately reincarnated and their feelings for each other are intact, they are without past memories of one another; their connection is rather sensed through instinct. At the end of the anime, all the Orochi heads go back to their original lives and Himeko is seen walking down a street intersection. As she walks during the post-credits, she comes across Chikane in her new human world body and instantly senses that she is meant to be with this person. The two hug, and narrate how they will always find their way back to each other. Characters Miko ; : :The Solar Priestess Himeko is a very shy, innocent 16-year-old girl, and that receives most of the anime's attention. She has known Chikane for many years without knowing Chikane's affections towards her. At first, Himeko has affections for Sōma Ōgami, who is her childhood friend. When the two date, their relationship puts Chikane's heart into turmoil. She starts off considering Chikane a very close friend although the two very rarely meet outside of secrecy. Himeko is an amateur photographer of some skill- a hobby she developed thanks to the support she receives from Chikane Himemiya. Himeko is initially a shy and timid girl, uncertain of her own worth and abilities. This is mainly because she was orphaned at an early age in an unknown manner. She was initially adopted by abusive relatives before being moved to other relatives. At school, Himeko seems to have only one friend, her dorm roommate Makoto. After the destruction of the dorms when Himeko comes to live with Chikane, she soon gains the enmity of Chikane's female fans at school- a fact she does not deal with well. Despite her timidity, Himeko gradually starts to display great determination and courage. Himeko carries the solar symbol on her chest. In the last few episodes, she finally realizes and accepts her feelings towards Chikane. ; : :The Lunar Priestess; in sharp contrast with Himeko, Chikane is a very commanding girl of the same age. She has a very noble and elegant aura, lives in a large mansion with many maids, and is considered to be of the highest standing at their school; she has a considerable fan following of both genders and is the frequent target of love confessions. She is a member of the prestigious kyūdō (Japanese archery) club and frequently uses the bow as her weapon of preference during confrontations with the Orochi, thus to defeat the other Orochi she uses the Orochi mark as a target. Later events show that she is also skilled in the use of the tantō. Her combat skills are somewhat reminiscent of those taught to the brides of samurai; possibly another indication of Chikane's family's high standing. Chikane is also exceptionally skilled in the areas of tennis and, more significantly, the piano; she apparently enjoys playing for Himeko, who enjoys listening to her perform. Many at school believe she has a relationship with Sōma, though this is proven to be untrue. She has been in love with Himeko since they first met, although she does not reveal it until much later, all the while hiding her jealousy and hurt at the sight of Himeko and Sōma together. Her feelings for Himeko soon borders upon obsession – she wants to complete the Ame no Murakumo summoning ritual quickly so that she alone can protect Himeko (and hence not requiring Sōma's assistance in the process). She eventually appears to "turn evil", vanquishing all but two of the other Orochi heads and assuming their place after attacking and sexually assaulting Himeko in an effort to force Himeko to be malevolent to Chikane. The truth behind her actions is more complex than at first meets the eye. However, even though Chikane turned away from evil once to save Himeko, she is about to learn that the darkness will forever dominate her destiny. Chikane carries the lunar symbol on her back. Orochi The great villain of the series is Yamata no Orochi, an evil god who wishes to destroy the world of humanity and create its own realm, a place of darkness and nihilism. Like its counterpart from Japanese mythology, the Orochi of Kannazuki no Miko has eight 'necks', its eight worshipers and followers, who are also called by association. Each of them possesses a mecha, which is both an 'other self' for the Orochi members and an embodiment of a lesser god (which rise time and again from the ashes of destruction), which forms part of the evil deity Orochi's body. Each individual follower has exaggerated personal characteristics; there is some indication that the evil deity granted its followers great physical strength and endurance, a limited capacity for teleportation and levitation, as well as a unique power or weapon to suit their individual character. A follower who has the willpower to repress the wellspring of rage that rises in their minds when Orochi claims them can use the powers they have gained against Orochi. The evil deity, unfortunately, administers a dire punishment to those who resist it. Orochi chooses its followers from those who have experienced great pain in their lives and have given in to despair. Each of the seven Orochi fit easily into archetypes, consisting of a sociopathic criminal, an unintelligent brute, a former Japanese idol, an anti-social mangaka, a catgirl, a seemingly betrayed friend, and a disillusioned nun. They are extremely discordant with each other and do not coordinate attacks on the miko until the middle of the series. ; : : , he is considered the leader and the most powerful of the Orochi. Tsubasa is a tall, teal-haired bishōnen, as well as a (presumed) sociopathic criminal with a long record, starting with the murder of his abusive father, whom he killed in order to protect his younger brother. Tsubasa is also Sōma's biological older brother, having left the young child in the care of the Ōgami family when he went on the run. When all the other necks failed at taking his brother down, Tsubasa was ultimately successful. Sōma has few memories of him, and Tsubasa is hesitant to harm him seriously when they first fight; he is more focused on convincing Sōma of the Orochi cause than killing the priestesses. He eventually saves Sōma from the effects of the Orochi's curse and shows himself to be a good person who sacrifices himself for his little brother, even in the end. His mecha, Take no Yasukunazuchi, has deployable wing-like structures which it uses to fly, and attacks with swords mounted on its arms. He is the only one of the Orochi who puts up a serious fight against Chikane after she "turns Orochi", but the battle ends in an impasse. However, he successfully (though only temporarily) destroys Take no Yamikazuchi and ends up abandoning the fight instead, not feeling the need to finish it. It is worth noting that Tsubasa waited until Chikane defeated the other Orochi before attacking, another sign of his sociopathic nature. In personal combat, Tsubasa mainly uses a sword, although he has shown some skill with throwing knives as well. The knives can carry a kinetic charge that causes explosions. Tsubasa eventually proves that his feelings for his brother are stronger than any attachment he might have felt to the Orochi's nihilistic vision of global destruction. He carries the mark of Orochi over his heart. ; : : , she is a purple-haired nun who is the first Orochi to appear and attack, having lost her faith due to living through a terrible war (presumed somewhere in England due to her Orochi light coming from London). Although there is little co-operation among the Orochi, she seems to be the closest thing therein to a second-in-command having great respect for Tsubasa and the most cool-headed of the lot; it is also implied that she holds an unrequited love for Tsubasa. She can control Girochi and induce some semblance of cooperation among the three other female Necks. Her influence appears to be what turns Chikane to the Orochi cause, though it is later revealed that the Lunar Miko went to them of her own accord. : Her mecha, Yatsu no Onokoshizuchi, vaguely resembles a lightning demon in appearance, having no arms but an array of tentacles and a giant circle of electrodes on its back which fire deadly beams. In personal contact, Miyako can make use of enchanted mirrors to create complex illusions and to spy on others over distances. She is a skilled manipulator and a keen observer. She use the mirrors and persude Chikane her desires and taking off her clothes and her undergraments. She is the last of the Orochi to fall in combat against Chikane, she is then purified. There is some indication that she carries the mark of Orochi on her throat. ; : : , he is one of the first Orochi to attack the miko. He is a very large man with heavy chains hanging off him, which he uses as weapons. He is attracted to Himeko and wishes to go on a date with her, which only fuels Chikane's jealous protectiveness of the Solar Miko. Girochi is said to be Miyako's younger brother. In a flashback scene, he is shown in a scene of destruction as a young boy, crying near a body crushed under a collapsed building. Presumably, the same war that destroyed his sister's church claimed the life of their parents and left Girochi traumatized and disillusioned. His mecha, Hi no Ashinazuchi, is nicknamed Gungal, and it is characterized by an excessively large right arm — so large that the entire mech's body can fit inside it when he uses it as a weapon (the "Megaton Knuckle" attack). He is the first to be petrified by Chikane, he is later purified. He carries the mark of Orochi on the back of his right hand. ; : : , she is a delusional pop idol whose dismal sales (68th, though Reiko constantly taunts her with "69th") are partly responsible for her becoming one of the Orochi. She is almost manic in her behavior, constantly trying to impress the other Orochi with her showmanship, but her energetic exterior hides a dark past. A flashback scene depicts her lying on a bed next to an older man, with much of her clothing torn; the exact nature of the liaison, as well as the reasons behind it, are left unsaid, although the scene is accompanied by the suggestion that Corona was "betrayed by her dreams". Her mecha, Ooube no Senazuchi, nicknamed Final Stage, takes on the forms of a wheel with a demonic eye in its center and of a giant centipede with an anthropoid head and arms. In personal combat, Corona throws lipsticks at her target. This attack is not as harmless as it might sound, since these lipsticks carry a kinetic charge capable of causing explosions. Corona is eventually petrified by Chikane, then purified. There is some indication that she carries the mark of Orochi on her left breast. ; : : , she is an antisocial mangaka of few words. Reiko continues her "day job" as a member of the Orochi and has in fact done better on the market since joining, though her manga have taken on very dark themes since then. She barely interacts with the other Orochi and is stone-cold in battle, though her level-headedness is more the product of cynicism and numbness than Miyako's. She shares her last name with Hitoshi Ōta, one of Kannazuki no Miko's authors. Her mecha, Ho no Shuraizuchi, takes on the forms of a Jōmon-style (straw-rope pattern) fired pottery jar and an anthropoid shape. In personal combat, Reiko throws fountain pens at her targets. Like Corona's lipsticks, these carry a kinetic charge capable of causing explosions. Interestingly, Himeko adores Reiko's work and is apparently an avid reader of hers. Reiko is eventually petrified and purified by Chikane. There is some indication that she carries the mark of Orochi on her back. ; : : , she is a small, squeaky-voiced catgirl (her name is derived from neko, the Japanese word for cat) who is often seen wearing a nurse's outfit and wielding a giant syringe. She appears to fit the stereotypical, cheerful catgirl archetype, but it is later revealed that she was the subject and victim of horrible medical experiments, which is most likely what made her an Orochi follower. Nekoko's syringe contains some form of medication that can heal injuries and sickness, but the injection causes horrible pain, as noted by Girochi. Alternatively, Nekoko can launch the syringe like a rocket, carrying the same kind of kinetic charge displayed by Tsubasa's knives, Corona's lipsticks and Reiko's fountain pens. Her mech, Izuhara no Tamazuchi, nicknamed Meow Meow (Nya Nya), is a large mechanical ball with many cannons on it that is capable of destroying buildings easily. Chillingly, Nekoko went on a rampage that wound up destroying several Japanese landmarks, acting the whole time like a stereotypical cute little girl having fun. She is later petrified by Chikane, then purified. There is some indication that she carries the mark of Orochi on her bottom. ; : : , he is the only Orochi who was able to resist becoming completely evil and the first to be purified. The reason behind this is possibly that he has no life-changing event to turn him fully evil and the factor of his feelings for Himeko. Sōma is the lone protector of Himeko and Chikane for most of the series and later plays a part in bringing the Orochi down. He has a very high social standing at their school, comparable to Chikane's, and most of their fellow students believe they are dating, though in truth they rarely interact until the Orochi events. Like Chikane, he is in love with Himeko and is extremely protective of her, fighting to keep her safe from Orochi until he is overwhelmed by the Orochi curse and put out of action, though he is later rescued by his brother Tsubasa. Sōma's mecha, Take no Yamikazuchi, is a humanoid robot that possesses more varied attacks than most of the other mecha, which it conceals within its own body. In personal combat, Sōma initially uses his own body and sometimes his motorcycle. Later on, he adopts the sword and fighting-style of his brother Tsubasa, significantly increasing his power. He carries the mark of Orochi on his forehead. His mech is similar to that of a Gundam and the attack is similar to The Big O. ; : : is originally a mysterious figure, whom the other Orochi believe is hiding from the public eye. Later, the position is revealed to belong to Chikane, once she joins the Orochi. It is uncertain whether the evil deity Orochi always knew Chikane would come to it, but it does not speak again until Chikane has defeated the other Orochi. At no time does she display the mark of Orochi anywhere on her body, but her lunar symbol does temporarily absorb threads of Orochi's power. Chikane takes over and uses Sōma's mecha, transforming it to look demonic. She then uses the mecha to obliterate all of the other Orochi before becoming the Miko of the Orochi and the only and most powerful head of Orochi, forcing Himeko to make a very drastic decision. In the future, Chikane will return with the mark of Orochi since she teamed up with the god in the first place. She will be the priestess of the Orochi when she returns and she will go down a dangerous dark path that she will not stray from. The mecha supposedly belonging to the Eighth Neck is Yokusemi no Mizuchi, which takes the forms of a fast-flying bird to rescue Orochi members from defeat and the form of a humanoid with a huge drill as its lower body for combat. Other characters ;Ame no Murakumo :In Kannazuki no Miko, Ame no Murakumo is the god of swords. When Orochi rises, it is prophesied that only the god of swords will stand against it and be able to undo the damage that Orochi causes. Ame no Murakumo, who shares the name of the legendary sword Kusanagi, rests inside its shrine on the moon until it is brought forth by the Miko of Sun and Moon. Ame no Murakumo takes the shape of either a giant sword or a humanoid mecha, which can be piloted like the Orochi mecha. None of the legends warn those who summon Ame no Murakumo of the terrible price that the god of swords demands to restore the world. Also, the god of swords does not appear to be the subject of unambiguous appreciation; when Ame no Murakumo lay dormant after its previous battle against Orochi, its shrine on Earth was placed under a seal of six swords. Unless Ame no Murakumo and its priests set this arrangement up themselves to test the powers and determination of the future Miko of Sun and Moon, this means someone felt Ame no Murakumo was best kept locked away unless it was absolutely needed. During their most recent battle, Orochi displayed a great hatred for Ame no Murakumo. The god of swords itself did not address its enemy however; the only times it possibly spoke was when it was addressing one or both of the Miko of Sun and Moon in a feminine voice. It is voiced by Atsuko Tanaka. ; : :Sōma's adoptive older brother and legal guardian, as well as priest of the temple of the Solar and Lunar Miko. His duties are to care for and maintain the legacy of the Miko, as well as to prepare them for battle. Calm and collected, he is especially worried about Sōma and what his Orochi blood will do to him; he also worries to an extent about Himeko and Chikane and what their duties will do to them. Even still, there are some indicators that imply he is not telling everyone the full extent of what is going on. ; : :The temple assistant, his duties are to assist the priest and Miko in readying the weapon that will defeat the Orochi. It is unclear if he is a hired employee, relative of the Ōgami family, or a junior priest-in-training (the last is unlikely, as he is never seen wearing Shinto clerical robes). He is also Sōma's best friend and confidant. ; : :Chikane's personal maid, Otoha is loyal and devoted to Chikane. When Himeko comes to live with Chikane, Otoha immediately notices the bond between the pair and grows intensely jealous, angered at Himeko for taking Chikane away from her and hurting her mistress. Aside from playing a humorous role and some very weighty scenes of her own in the series, she is a support character who clarifies how Chikane reserved her feelings for Himeko alone. Otoha's feelings for Chikane are further explored; when she is sent away due to all of the commotion, she confesses to Chikane on how much she cares for her and admires her. When Otoha is embraced and thanked by Chikane, she blushes and cries. ; : :Himeko's friend and roommate, "Mako-chan" is an athletic girl, one of the best runners on the Ototachibana track team. On the day Sōma attacked Himeko, she was severely injured in the collapsing dormitory. Her competing in the Interhigh competitions was shot to pieces. She pushed Himeko away, possibly blaming her for the injuries, but more likely distraught over not being able to run anymore. She no longer appears in the series until near the climax, where she helps Himeko to come to a final decision regarding the events surrounding her. ;Izumi : :The leader of a group of girls who are Chikane's biggest fans at school. She is very jealous about Himeko's close relationship with Chikane and she and her group resort to bullying tactics when Himeko even gets to stay at the Himemiya mansion, although they initially stop after witnessing Chikane's quiet fury at what they had done. She and her friends all tend to address Chikane as "Miya-sama". ;Misaki : :A friend of Izumi's that shares Izumi's jealousy for Himeko. ;Kyoko : :Another friend of Izumi's. Adaptation differences Chikane was with the Orochi the whole time in the manga while in the anime she joined after witnessing Himeko's first kiss. Himeko did not know who the Lunar Priestess was until halfway through the manga, at which point she was raped by Chikane, while in the anime, the priestesses worked together since the beginning. Makoto does not injure her leg in the manga from the attack on the school. Himeko does not respond to Chikane's death wish by injuring Chikane, but hugs and embraces her instead in the manga. Himeko, in the manga, stays on the moon with Chikane, and later both are reincarnated as sisters. In the manga, it is revealed that all the major players in the confrontation between Orochi and Ame No Murakumo, with the exception of Chikane, were brought to Mahoroba when Chikane's grandfather gathered together orphans from all over Japan in hopes that he would gather all the key players. For example, in the manga Himeko was not actually born in the village and was shipped in with a bunch of other orphans, while in the anime she is still an orphan but is not an "outsider". In the manga, the backgrounds, as in why they want to destroy everything, are not expanded upon, whilst the anime runs through each Orochi's motivations quickly later on in the series. Media Manga The Kannazuki no Miko manga, written by the manga group Kaishaku, was first serialized in the Japanese mangazine Shōnen Ace published by Kadokawa Shoten starting in 2004. The series was very short, ending at 14 chapters which were later collected into two bound tankōbon volumes. The series is licensed in North America by Tokyopop, which published both volumes in English in 2008. Anime The anime adaptation of Kannazuki no Miko was produced by NHK and animated by Rondo Robe. It was directed by Tetsuya Yanagisawa with music by Mina Kubota and character designs by Maki Fujii. The opening theme was "Re-sublimity" and the ending theme was "Agony," both written and arranged by Kazuya Takase and performed by Kotoko. The insert song, "Suppuration -core-", also sung by Kotoko, was used in episode eleven. The series was broadcast in Japan by NHK in twelve episodes between October 2 and December 15, 2004. It was released on six DVDs between December 22, 2004 and May 25, 2005. The series was licensed in North America by Geneon Entertainment, which released the series on three DVDs in 2006. The license was transferred from Geneon to Sentai Filmworks in 2009 who will reissue the series on August 25, 2009 in a DVD box set. It is also licensed in France by Dybex, in Poland by Vision Film Distribution, and in Taiwan by Proware Multimedia. Episodes Drama CD On November 25, 2004, a drama CD called Kannazuki no Miko drama CD was released in Japan by Geneon based on the anime version of Kannazuki no Miko. Internet radio Kannazuki no Miko had an internet radio program named that ran on i-revo TE-A room from October 2004 to March 2005. The hosts were Noriko Shitaya (Himeko) and Junji Majima (Sōma Ōgami), who are currently hosting while Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora is running until all the DVDs are released. Reception Kannazuki no Miko received mixed reviews. Anime News Network (ANN) criticized volume one of the series as "itself as an instant fan favorite, but somehow up to less than the sum of its parts". The network said the series "changes in scene and mood don't seem to connect, characters behave without rhyme or reason, and even thrilling action scenes are hampered by sloppy animation. There are lots of little things to like about the series, but as a whole, you have to wonder—"What? That's it?" They stated that "if Kannazuki no Miko were split into two different series, it might be easier to enjoy the separate story threads". The site did, however, credit the anime with "so many striking visual elements" such as giant robots, bishōjo, and an intergalactic villains' hangout. "J.C. Staff manages to come up with effective designs for each. The lead female characters have an appealing look even if they are not the prettiest, while the mechas have an imposing figure despite their simple appearance," relayed the site. The soundtrack, thought of as "classical-tinged" and setting the mood for the series, was also credited with being "especially effective" during dramatic character moments. ANN said that volume one of the series promises something to suit every anime fetish, but "if sensible storytelling and deep characters are what turn you on, then this isn't the series to go to". For volume two, the network said that the series is "an emotionally excruciating" process, and named the continuation of the story as being filled with angst, rage and sentimentality "dripping from almost every scene" on the disc. They said that despite this and the angst-ridden dialogue, "the middle episodes of Kannazuki no Miko represent a genuine turning point in the series: the romance and adventure storylines, once so disconnected, come together and swing the cosmic battle in a new direction" and that "the voice actors in the English dub still manage to express the sentiments of their characters". Erica Friedman, president of Yuricon, heavily criticized it for its controversial scene of Chikane raping Himeko, as well as for its manga ending, in her review of volume one of the series. She also criticized it as not being well-written. Friedman wondered why Sōma and Chikane would allow Himeko to be bullied, outcast and victimized instead of stepping up and claiming their friendship publicly if they truly loved her. She criticized Himeko as allowing "the whims of others" to take control of her life, indulging them by not having an opinion of her own, and naively forgiving "even the basest" behavior. Friedman stated that the story actually revolves around "the love triangle and Himeko's victimization by herself and the people who profess to love her". She said, "Tokyopop's team did as good a job with the material as they could. It's not a good story, nor is it well-drawn, but they made it make as much sense as possible. I applaud them for that. It's not as easy as they made it look." For volume two, Friedman later stated that Tokyopop did a "very superior job with this series". See also *''Shattered Angels'' References External links * Official anime website * Official manga website * Category:Anime of 2004 Category:Fantasy anime and manga Category:Geneon Category:Kannazuki no Miko Category:LGBT-related television programs Category:Manga of 2004 Category:Mecha anime and manga Category:Romance anime and manga Category:Sentai Filmworks Category:Shōnen manga Category:Yuri da:Kannazuki no Miko es:Kannazuki no Miko fr:Kannazuki no miko id:Kannazuki no Miko it:Kannazuki no miko ja:神無月の巫女 pl:Kapłanki przeklętych dni pt:Kannazuki no Miko ru:Kannazuki no Miko sk:Kannazuki no Miko tl:Kannazuki no Miko th:มิโกะ คนทรงหุ่นเทวะ vi:Kannazuki no Miko zh:神无月的巫女